


Networking

by stelliums



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Brooke Lohst has a Squip, F/F, F/M, One-Sided Attraction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-04
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2020-04-06 18:37:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19068346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stelliums/pseuds/stelliums
Summary: Brooke's SQUIP shows her which connections are worthwhile. Loosely connected one-shot series.





	1. Chloe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brooke attempts to express her feelings to her best friend. Pre-canon.

“Brooke!”

Her best friend’s tone was scalding. Brooke didn’t flinch at it but instead looked past it, giving her an apologetic smile. It was past the time they had decided to meet. Six P.M, at the nearby skate park, alone. It was an odd place to meet – Chloe had never shown an interest in skating or anything like it. She was half an hour late.

“Sorry, I was–“

_Stay relaxed. You know that she doesn’t respond well to panicking._

”...you were what?”, Chloe asked, “We planned this days ago!”

Brooke responded, sheepishly, “...getting ready.”

She had been warned not to put too much effort into her appearance before she left. After a long while of deciding on the perfect outfit and testing out makeup, she had decided on a short summer dress with sandals. It was almost summer; even at night, it was dress weather. Part of her was disappointed when she had seen Chloe in the same clothes that she had worn to school that day, as if she had barely put in an effort. Until she remembered that Chloe didn’t need effort to look good.

“...right.”

The two sat at the top of the skate ramp, an uncomfortable silence filling the air. Brooke managed to sneak a glance at her. The golden glow of the sunset illuminated her like the subject of a painting. She would have offered to paint Chloe herself. No – she wouldn’t have been able to capture the same atmosphere.

_You’re blushing._

Her own mind wasn’t the only one who noticed. “So? Who are you thinking about?”

_Her. Can’t she tell?_

”N-nothing! No one. Why?”

”You don’t see people looking like that if they’re not thinking about someone. You’d better not even think about touching Jake, if you’re better than that bitch Madeline–“

Brooke didn’t answer, struggling for words. While she listened to Chloe rant about her former friend running off with her boyfriend, she didn’t state the obvious. Like how she had only been dating Jake for two weeks, and that Madeline had been his girlfriend during the infamous ‘pool incident’. 

“If I was thinking about anyone, it wouldn’t have been Jake.” She said with a bright smile and a giggle, as if her ranting was funny to her. Her hands shot up to cover her mouth, about to mumble an apology.

_Don't apologise to her. There isn’t any need to. If you’re as close as you said, she doesn’t need an apology._

”That– wasn’t me!” Brooke insisted. She didn’t know what had come over her. It hadn’t seemed like her, unless she had somehow become the kind of person to make light of her best friends’ problems. 

“What do you mean ‘not you’? I heard you. I don’t get what’s so funny about all of this.”

Chloe glared at her again. She could feel herself shrinking back into her shell until it... stopped. “I... well... guess found it funny that you thought I was thinking about Jake.”

”Who was it, then?”

”The person I’m...“, she choked on the words, “...here with now?”

Chloe raised an eyebrow, staring at her as if there was something wrong. Brooke had never been more exposed in her life. Not even when she had told Chloe her greatest secrets, or when those secrets had been leaked. But this had been her greatest secret. How long will it take for everyone to know?

_Good job, kid._

“I didn’t do anything...!”, she muttered to herself, tears welling up in her eyes. Everything that happened after this was completely out of her control, and it was all down to the voice inside her head urging her to let the secret out. And the other one that refused to silence itself, coaxing her actions.

Her friends’ expression grew concerned. The emotion looked foreign on her face; unnatural. Chloe had seen her cry before. Her hand reached up to wipe her tears away but her fingers were dry when she moved it from her face. How had she stopped crying so quickly? When she looked back, Chloe's expression had vanished.

”Come on, this place is getting boring. Let’s go get some frozen yogurt– bet Jakey’s gonna meet us there if I tell him to.” Chloe stood and brushed a hand through her own hair. Brooke stayed for a moment to watch her, then waited until she was standing at the bottom of the skate ramp, tapping her foot impatiently against the concrete.

Once she couldn’t be heard clearly, she murmured, “What _was_ that?”

A taller, more imposing figure appeared beside her. They wore a pale dress, paired with a suit jacket. Their eyes focused on her with the same heated gaze that she had been subject to before. 

_“You’re welcome.”_


	2. Rich

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brooke meets Rich for what seemed to be the first time. Pre-canon, contains drug use.

Their friend group spent little time apart; they were mostly in the same classes, with similar academic skills. Jake took different classes to the rest, although Chloe had attempted to follow him into each of them with little success. Sometimes Brooke couldn't believe her lack of awareness. What was more unbelievable to her was that the thought had crossed her mind at all. That certainly wasn't like her. The others hadn't noticed that she didn't always act like herself. Aside from Jenna, who, although well-meaning, wasn't someone that Brooke was willing to confide everything in. 

Chloe and Brooke were stood by their lockers as usual, the former waiting for Jake to arrive from cricket practice. It was only the two of them that day, she noticed. Usually there were others, but they had been on the outskirts of their little clique. Madeline's reputation still hadn't recovered from the 'pool incident' - she had seen her sitting alone at lunch sometimes. Part of her wanted to go over, to invite her back into the fold, but she was fully aware that it would only open her up to further harassment if she did so. Madeline would pick herself up. They tended to, after a scandal. Even Jenna was absent. Perhaps she was sick.

When Jake arrived, striding through the crowded hallway, she noticed another student following him. He was smaller, likely a younger student. Someone that Chloe derisively labelled a 'tagalong'. There was something familiar about him, although it was impossible for Brooke to tell what it was. It was as if she remembered him from somewhere. Yet when she scoured her memory, any face that may have appeared similar was replaced with static. 

_If you’re so curious, then go and talk to him._

Jake casually leaned against a locker, talking to the stranger while Chloe tried to impress him. Her new outfit didn’t interest the jack-of-all-sports. She rolled her eyes, an action that went unnoticed by Chloe. Their friendship had been stilted since the evening at the park a few days before. The action had caught the eyes of the newcomer, though. 

“Do I know you?” She asked, punctuating her question with a smile.

“Yes– no–“, he attempted to answer, “You’re Brooke, aren’t you? I... think you live near me. I’m new here.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Brooke thought she saw him twitch. A nervous tic? She had seen others get a little anxious around them sometimes. He looked her over, wide-eyed. It was as if he hadn’t seen a girl so close before. Brooke glanced over him. He didn’t seem like any kind of creep, yet. Possibly a stoner, but not a creep. 

He started twitching again, almost violently. The thud of his body against the metal lockers alerted Jake, who helped him back up. Chloe was stood perfectly still, shocked.

“Dude, are you alright? You look a little frazzled.”

The stranger chuckled weakly at what he saw as a pun. His eyes – a brighter shade of green than Brooke had seen before – focused solely on her, as if he saw something in them. Brooke spoke up first, quicker than she thought she ever would. She would have usually remained silent in situations like these.

”Do you need anything? I have water, or I could take you to the nurse–“

”...guess I’m just claustrophobic or– or something. Could probably use some air, though. Mind taking me outside for a bit? Kinda hot in here.” 

Despite his condition, he gave her a wink and stumbled over to her. Only seconds later, he was walking as if there was nothing wrong with him. “Lead the way. As I said, I’m new. Only just getting to know this place.”

She led him through the hallway and through the main entrance. He sat down on the steps and patted the space next to him, pulling out a rolled blunt from his pocket and taking a drag. 

“Want some? Keeps me chill. You look tense.”

Brooke sat down beside him but didn’t take up his offer. Her parents would kill her if she came home smelling of weed. “I’m good.”

“Hey, is there something wrong? You can go if you’d like, I’m not keeping you here–“ He told her. He flinched again.

He reached out a hand to her and placed it on her shoulder. At the touch, a jolt of electricity shot through her. Something told her that he could feel it too. She pulled away in surprise.

”You have one too? Oh, man, I’ve been waiting to find another one!” He grinned at her, the expression somehow more genuine. She suddenly understood the brightness of his eyes and the deliberateness of each action. Even though they had only met that afternoon, there was a connection there.

_Look at him. Pitiful. Reminds me of a certain someone. Watch him closely. You might learn a thing or two from each other._

“...Rich, is it?”, Brooke asked him, although she already knew the answer, “You were in my science class during Freshman year?”

Rich looked taken aback, as if that information was impossible for her to know. “You know? How?”

Brooke smiled shyly and tapped her head. Rich returned her smile and the gesture while they watched smoke drift into the air.


	3. Jeremy

There had always been something about Jeremy that she liked. She couldn’t tell what it was, but something. Maybe she was just into nerds. From as far as she could remember, she had always noticed him amongst any crowd of students. Lately, though, he... stood out, rather than being lost in the noise of the school. Her vision appeared to physically centre around him in a way that it never had around Chloe. Everything was blurred out except for him.

She had to talk to him. There was no other way around it. Deserting Chloe had been difficult that day, considering her argument with Jake over his reasons for joining the Drama Club. The two of them had broken up recently. When she spotted Jeremy, he was alone and... crying?

”Jeremy!”

_You’re not a worried parent. You’re a girl, finding a boy and trying to make him feel better._

Her voice softened when she came closer. She followed her impulse to pull him into a hug. Hopefully that would do something - she couldn't bear to see him upset. She let Jeremy sob into her shoulder, choking out words that she couldn’t discern amongst the tears. 

”Jeremy... what’s wrong?”

”I–“, he eventually managed to say, “I don’t know why I’m crying...”

Brooke noticed Jeremy’s new shirt. Eminem. Oh. She had heard the news this morning, but she hadn’t paid any attention. She had never been a fan, but had gladly listened to the theories about exactly what the 'mysterious, unknown circumstances' that had killed the rapper were.

_I know how you feel about Eminem, but play along. Trust me. This will get good results._

So she did. She didn't question the voice any more. At least they had her best interests in mind, unlike anyone else.

”I’m so sorry about what happened.”, she said, holding on to his hands, “You don’t have to be alone right now.”

For a moment, she was able to catch his eyes. He looked... out of it, as if he wasn’t focusing on her. Of course he wasn’t focusing on her. Who did? She was invisible. The only person who had started to see her, actually see her, was Rich. They had been hanging out more recently, and Rich had established himself in the group. A permanent fixture, and possibly a permanent friend.

“Jeremy?” Brooke looked up at him, worried. He blinked and wiped away the tears on his face, but then smiled as if trying to calm her. 

_If he’s not paying attention, make him. Give him an offer he couldn’t refuse. He wants to be more than this. And so do you._

”I was going to ask if you’d come to Jake’s Halloween party with me. It’d be better than the two of us spending the night alone.”

In reality, Brooke wouldn’t have been alone. She would have stayed with her friends. But if she was able to get a date to the party... she felt as if it was a chance to show that she could move on from her unfortunate crush on her best friend. That she was finally more than their friendship. She would walk back into school after that party as her equal instead of her beta. Nobody would know anything about how she had done it.

”You?”

”Yes, me. Why not?”

She sounded more certain and bubbly than she felt. This was right, wasn’t it? If she didn’t want Jeremy, then why had she been acting strangely around him?

_He’ll be a good fit for you. For now, at least. You’re connected._

”...sure.” Jeremy responded. Only then did she notice how blue his eyes were bright. Unnatural. Too similar to her own.

“Can I... hold your hands again, for a second?”, she asked. Jeremy gave her his hands, and she felt the familiar spark. Maybe they _were_ connected – not in the way that she had thought.

His face was a bright shade of red, making the freckled that were scattered across his face stand out. Brooke grinned at him, although she couldn't tell what she was so excited about. There was a chance that she wasn't excited about anything. But she seemed genuinely excited, which was more than good enough for Jeremy. 

"...what was that?", he asked, sounding giddy. 

_He's clueless. Cute, maybe, but utterly clueless._

She took a moment to think before shrugging. "Don't know what you're talking about. I'll see you in class later, okay? And... maybe after school?", she suggested, quickly kissing his cheek. Brooke waved to him as the bell rung, disappearing into the growing river of students.


End file.
